Services/EMDR
EMDRA gentle, structured way to help painful memories finally feel like the past, in Winter Park and Orlando, and by secure telehealth anywhere in Florida.
Some memories don't settle. Years go by, life moves on, and a sound or a smell or an offhand comment still drops you right back into a moment you'd rather not visit. If that sounds familiar, I'm glad you found your way here. This is the kind of thing EMDR can help with.
I use EMDR with adults, especially women and trauma survivors whose memories still feel raw. A lot of people come to EMDR after years of talking. They know their history, and they can explain exactly why they react the way they do. They still react that way. When there's a gap between what you know and what you feel, it often means a memory hasn't finished being processed, and that gap is what EMDR works on.
It might be worth a conversation if any of this sounds like you:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured therapy that has been extensively researched and is widely used in the treatment of trauma. It follows a set of standardized steps, so you can know ahead of time roughly what a session will involve. For a lot of people, that predictability is what makes it feel safe enough to try.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, which means gently activating both sides of the brain in turn, often with guided eye movements. Those eye movements resemble REM sleep, when the mind is thought to sort through the day, and EMDR appears to help the brain reprocess stuck memories in a similar way.
The memory doesn't disappear. What I hope for with you is that it finally feels like the past.
EMDR can also help with the beliefs that grew out of relational trauma, or out of abuse and neglect in childhood: that you're not safe, that it was somehow your fault, that you're too much or not enough. If you'd like a fuller explanation of the approach, the EMDR Institute has one.
EMDR was first established as a treatment for PTSD. Since then it's been used in work with panic attacks, phobias, performance anxiety, disturbing memories, complicated grief, stress reduction, the effects of sexual or physical abuse, addictions, pain disorders, dissociative disorders, body dysmorphic disorders, and personality disorders.
You don't have to see yourself on that list for EMDR to be worth asking about.
We don't start EMDR on day one. First comes safety and stabilization: building trust, and making sure you have grounding skills in place before we do any memory work. When we get there, protocol sessions are scheduled as extended sessions so we have room to finish. You set the pace, and nothing happens before you're ready.
How long it takes depends on you, your goals, your commitment, and what brought you in. I'll never keep you longer than is helpful, and you'll always know what the plan is.
EMDR is one part of my broader approach to trauma recovery, which also makes room for the life that comes after a memory is resolved.
I'm Cristina, and I'm the owner of Flourish. I'm EMDR trained, and I use it alongside Accelerated Resolution Therapy and the Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories. I enjoy using these tools to resolve traumatic memories with my adult clients, and I'm passionate about using expressive arts in healing, too. Read more about me.
If something has been stuck for a long time, it would be an honor to help it finally feel like the past.
You don't have to retell your story over and over to be free of it. We work with the memory itself, gently, at a pace that feels right to you.
You can see me in person at the Winter Park office, 2431 Aloma Ave., Suite 111, a short drive from Orlando, Maitland, Baldwin Park, Oviedo, and Casselberry. If getting here is hard, we can meet by secure, private telehealth from anywhere in Florida.
All sessions are self-pay. A superbill can be provided on request for possible out-of-network reimbursement. See rates & insurance for current fees, or read our FAQ.
The broader work EMDR sits inside: safety first, then resolution, then the life that comes after.
ExpressiveA hands-on form of expressive therapy for adults, using a tray and miniatures to work with what's hard to say.
SeasonsSupport through bereavement and the complicated seasons of loss that don't follow a tidy timeline.
Yes. I'm Cristina Ally, LMHC, and I offer EMDR in person at our Winter Park office near Orlando and by secure telehealth for clients anywhere in Florida.
Yes. The World Health Organization's 2013 guidelines list EMDR among the therapies recommended for adults with PTSD, and the 2023 VA/DoD PTSD guideline gives it a strong recommendation.
No. EMDR works with the memory itself, so you don't have to tell me every detail of what happened. You stay in charge of the pace the whole way.
No, all sessions are self-pay. A session is $185 for 50 minutes, and EMDR is often scheduled as a double session. If you have out-of-network benefits, I can give you a superbill on request to send to your insurer, and HSA and FSA cards work too.
Start with a 10-minute phone consultation. You can ask me anything about EMDR, and we'll see together whether it's the right fit. You can request one anytime through the client portal.
Request an appointment and we'll help you find the right fit. Already a client? Sign in to your portal.
Have questions? See our FAQ.